


A Rare Occurrence

by RowRoeRowYourBoat



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Blaise POV, Conversations, First Meetings, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Other characters mentioned - Freeform, based on american universities, no magic, they are all college students
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-10
Updated: 2018-06-10
Packaged: 2019-05-20 17:21:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14898776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RowRoeRowYourBoat/pseuds/RowRoeRowYourBoat
Summary: When Draco dragged Blaise to the garden nursery not far from their university, he never expected to find a companion in one of the small greenhouses.





	A Rare Occurrence

“And why exactly are we here again?” Blaise asked as he looked around at the small greenhouses Draco had dragged him to.

“Because Harry Potter is very much single,” Draco said as though it was the most obvious reason in the world.

Blaise admired the various colors of the flowers and plants around them. He could always appreciate beauty when he saw it. _Pretty things_ , he thought, _were much better than people especially when nature was involved_.

“You know, I don’t peg Potter as being a flower person.” Blaise wasn’t saying Potter wasn’t someone who would like flowers, but he seemed more like the person you’d find exploring nature instead of buying it.

Draco, however, seemed very much unimpressed with Blaise’s comment. “I have to make a good impression now that I know he and the Weasley girl aren’t together,” he stated. Blaise watched him look around the gardens with a serious expression. “Everyone loves flowers.”

Blaise just rolled his eyes, knowing that Draco was at that point where he would never listen to his opinion on the matter. Draco had a plan, so what did Blaise know. “Alright,” Blaise huffed a little and just accepted Draco’s wishes, but that did not mean he had to tail Draco around. “I’ll go look for something in the greenhouses. Anything specific you have in mind?”

“Something unique!” Draco declared. “It has to stand out the way his eyes do and-” Yes, Blaise had already had enough. He turned and began walking away. “Where do you think you’re going?” Draco called out.

“Away from you,” Blaise stated without looking back. The entire way to the greenhouse he had to listen to Draco fawn over Potter and his strong build and beautiful eyes and how he wanted to run his hands through Potter’s hair. If Blaise heard one more thing about how perfect Potter was, his eyes were going to find a permanent home in the back of his skull.

Basically, he needed a break and a walk through a greenhouse or two sounded like a wonderful idea. He pushed open the door and immediately sweat began to form on his brow as humidity wrapped around him like a thick blanket. Now he wished he’d had the foresight to wear shorts instead of his jeans. How anyone could work in such a stuffy environment, he would never know. He’d rather spend hours under the warm lighting of his photo shoots than this.

But, Blaise had to admit that the colors and peace were much better than the bustle of people and gossipy stylists. Here, he could just be rather than be what everyone expected him to be. He had an… unfortunate reputation to keep up after all. Rumors seemed to pop up every other day about some new fling he apparently had with some other person. The gender didn’t matter, and apparently neither did his word. No one listened when he tried to explain otherwise.

“Excuse me?” Blaise blinked as he returned from his thoughts and turned to the voice. The man before him sported a kind smile. He wore jeans and a shirt - both covered in streaks of dirt. Blaise inwardly cringed at that as he would much rather have a clean working environment. Though this man seemed to thrive among the plants he helped grow. “Do you need any help? I noticed you were staring…” He motioned to the flower in front of him.

Blaise looked back at the flower and hadn’t even realized he’d been staring at it. With the way his thoughts were running, he wouldn’t be surprised if his stare had actually been a glare and the stranger was just being nice. Now that he looked at the burnt orange flower, it was rather… “Beautiful,” he said aloud. “The flower, I mean.” He felt the need to add that when the man gave him a curious look.

The stranger hummed as he looked at the floor, and Blaise took the time to admire the other’s appearance. Despite the healthy (unhealthy if you asked Blaise) coating of dirt which was obviously an occupational hazard, the man was well built and probably stunning when freshly showered. There was also something familiar about him, but he just couldn’t place his finger on it. “It is beautiful.” Blaise watched him gently brush a finger against one of the large petals. The action was so different from the man’s rough exterior, but Blaise assumed one had to be gentle when working with plants. “You’re lucky.”

Blaise frowned slightly as he looked to the man - gardener? Was that his role here? He looked to be the same age as Blaise or at least early twenties. “I’m lucky?”

The man nodded and grinned. “Once the hibiscus blooms, its flower only lasts about a day.” His grin turned to Blaise. “You came at the right moment.”

“I guess I did,” he said, surprising himself. For once he was unsure about how to proceed with the conversation because this man was… kind. It’s not like people weren’t nice to him, but when others were nice, it meant they wanted something from him. It didn’t matter if they were acquaintances or a random person on the street that recognized his face. Usually, they wanted to use his reputation as an overly sexualized person or his money to further their own goals.

Yet as Blaise looked at this man, he felt nothing of the sort. He could always identify when he was being used. So that either meant this man didn’t recognize him (which hurt Blaise’s pride just a bit as he was well known for his modeling) or he just didn’t care, and Blaise found that he quite enjoyed this anonymity that was a rare occurrence for him. The only problem was that it placed him in unfamiliar territory with such genuine kindness.

“So…” The man began as Blaise searched his mind for a way to continue this conversation. “Were you looking for something specific or just browsing?” The man took off his dirt covered gloves and tucked them in the back pocket of his jeans.

“My friend was looking for a flower,” he found himself saying. The gardener waited for him to continue. “I’m not quite sure what he was looking for. He said something… unique.”

Blaise watched as the other’s lip quirked as though he wanted to laugh at the explanation but somehow maintained himself. Blaise gave him credit. If their roles had been reversed, Blaise would have doubled over with laughter. It made him wonder if he was used to such explanations.

“Unique,” he said with a hum. His finger rubbed absently at his cheek, smearing the dirt present, while he thought it over. “In my opinion, any flower could be unique if you looked at it a certain way.” Blaise felt his eyebrow raise at the other’s words and the way his eyes shined in thought. Blaise could tell he was passionate and loved the plants he worked with. “Could you describe the person your friend is buying the flowers for?”

Before he could stop himself, tossed his head backwards and groaned loudly. He felt a bead of sweat trickle down the back of his neck. “Please don’t make me,” he complained, causing the other to laugh this time. “I’m so sick of hearing it. ‘Potter this and Potter that.’ It’s going to be the end of me.”

“Potter?” The man asked. Both of their eyes widened in shock. Blaise had not meant to disclose such private information, but Draco’s incessant blathering over the other was getting on his last nerve. “You mean Harry Potter?”

“Er…” Blaise stiffened and felt himself go on the defensive. It was too late to ignore the other’s question as they had both paused. He also knew he could deny it, but they would also both know it was a lie from the shock on both of their faces. Draco was going to murder him, but… but this meant they might be able to find a flower that fit perfectly. “Do you… know him?”

The man’s face broke into a grin. “Who doesn’t know him?” He asked with a laugh. 

Blaise had to admit that Potter’s skills on the pitch made him rather popular at the university. He was one of the leading scorers on his football team and best friends with his female counterpart - or as Draco called her the female Weasley since her brother was the starting goalie. His popularity was one of the reasons why Blaise thought Draco could live without the boy wonder, but it’s not like Draco would actually listen to him at this point.

“That’s true,” Blaise nodded, feeling himself relax just a bit. He still had to be careful. Draco’s parents were well known but not well liked, and Draco had made it very clear that for the moment, he didn’t want others to know about his… interest. “So could you help? It would save me from hours of torture.”

The other chuckled at Blaise’s words. “Surely it can’t be that bad.” Blaise gave him a look that had him quickly retracing his steps. “Okay, maybe it is.” He turned his back on Blaise and looked around. “Flowers for Harry… Your friend…” The man began wandering the greenhouse. “What’s she like?”

And there was the another concern Blaise had. He and Draco were unsure of Potter’s sexuality. Potter had only officially been with girls - the Weasley girl and Cho Chang - but there were rumors about him and other men. Rumors, as Blaise was quite familiar with, were not always true. “He, actually.” Blaise watched the other falter in his steps only to turn and stare. “Is that a problem?”

The other didn’t wait another second before grinning ear to ear. “Not at all!” This time Blaise was the one to pause. He was used to defending Draco from those with narrow minds and judging eyes. He knew others were supportive but for someone to accept it so easily was different for him. Perhaps that meant Blaise was simply engaging with the wrong people. “So from what you’ve said already, it sounds like he’s quite smitten.”

“Persistent is more like it,” Blaise said, following behind the man. “He’s not one to give up when he finds something he wants or likes.” As he said those words, he frowned. “Actually, that sounds horrible… almost like he’s a stalker.”

“Not necessarily,” the other said. “He just knows what he wants. I think Harry would like someone like him.”

“So Potter does like men?” Blaise found himself asking. 

The gardener - Blaise really should ask his name - turned back with a stunned expression. “You mean he’s doing all this without knowing if his feelings would be returned?”

“I know,” Blaise rolled his eyes, “he’s an idiot.”

“But brave,” the other added with a soft smile on his face. He looked at Blaise with curiosity. “You said he wanted something unique.” Blaise nodded. “And he could have gone to a flower shop, but he came here.” Blaise nodded again but didn’t quite understand what the other was getting at. “It probably means he wants something that will last.”

“Maybe?” Blaise shrugged. He really wasn’t sure why they had come to the place. He just figured Draco was being dramatic and wanted to make a statement. Buy a whole plant versus just cut flowers kind of thing.

The gardener grinned. “Come with me.” Blaise followed the other out of the greenhouse. As they walked to wherever it was they were going, Blaise checked his phone but found no messages or calls from Draco. He must still be searching for the perfect plant. They walked into the main area where the cash registers were, as well as the more decorative items. Blaise watched the man walk over to a large wooden shelf. After looking through the options, he picked one and turned to hand it over. “Here.”

Blaise took the small potted plant and stared at it. “A… succulent?” He asked, raising an eyebrow at the man, who grinned and nodded. Blaise had to admit, it was beautifully colored in purple and teal, but… a succulent? “Really?”

“It’s not your typical plant to give,” the other said. “Unique if you will.”

“I guess…” Blaise wasn’t completely sold on the idea and he knew it was evident in his tone of voice, but really… a succulent… He couldn’t see how Draco would agree to something like this (as beautiful as it was).

The smile faded just a bit, but his eyes seemed determined to make Blaise see what he already saw in the small plant. “Succulents are very hardy plants. I think it matches your friend’s personality.” Blaise didn’t think he had said enough about Draco to warrant such a deduction, but to each their own. “They survive well indoors and are easy to care for, and trust me, this is the type of plant you’ll want to give to Harry if you want it to live. He’s a wonderful friend, but gardening is not his strong point.”

Blaise blinked at that. He had only thought the gardener knew of him, but it sounded more than that. “You’re actually friends with him?” The man nodded. “And you’re still helping me when you don’t even know who my friend is?”

The other shrugged. “If your friend came here instead of a simple flower shop, he’s either quite serious or has a flare for the dramatics.”

A bark of laughter escaped Blaise’s lips. He liked this man. “I believe he would fall into both categories actually.”

“And he sounds like the right sort of person Harry needs right now,” the gardener explained. “What with Ron and Hermione joined at the hip and Ginny chasing after Luna.” It was added as an afterthought but still loud enough for Blaise to hear.

“Luna?” Why did the name sound so familiar? “You mean Lovegood?” His voice raised in surprise. Draco always complained about how amazing the girl’s art was, though he meant it with the utmost respect. Blaise had even joined Draco a couple times to Lovegood’s art shows on campus, and he had been very impressed. She used different mediums and although her artwork usually reflected nature, there were a few pieces inspired by people. And then… it hit him. “You! You were in one of her pieces!” That’s why the man seemed familiar!

The embarrassed flush that colored the man’s cheeks was proof enough without his confirmation. “She’s a good friend of mine and asked if I was okay with her using me as inspiration. I never actually went to see it. I was too embarrassed.” He mumbled, looking anywhere but at Blaise.

“That’s a shame,” Blaise whispered and he was being honest. In his mind, he didn’t think Lovegood did the other enough justice. He remembered thinking the man in the painting had been beautiful. She had used neutral colors accented with greens and blues and splashes of bright colors, which now that Blaise knew the man behind the image, he thought it perfect. “It was really beautiful.” He remembered thinking the man would fit right in with his list of pretty people and Blaise had to admit, he was not disappointed.

“Yes, well,” he flustered as if not used to such praise or comments. _A shame_ , thought Blaise. “What do you think of the succulent?” He asked bringing them back to their original topic.

Blaise looked to the plant in his hands. “Well if you think it’s perfect for Potter then I guess it is.” The other practically beamed at the words and the light blush still on his cheeks made him look even more beautiful than before (even with the dirt and grime). “I’ll take it.”

“Shouldn’t your friend decide if he wants it?”

It was a good question and the answer was probably yes, but Blaise wanted to protect Draco’s privacy since this person was close with Potter. “Well, if he decides against it, I’ll keep the little guy.”

The man smiled and motioned to the registers behind him. As his purchase was being rung up, Blaise found him silently hoping Draco would choose something else. He was feeling sentimental for once. He’d enjoyed this encounter and wanted something to remember it by, seeing as it was so rare for others to not have a secret agenda in store for him.

He paid for Draco and took the plant from the smiling man. Except when the man spoke, it had him stopping in his track. “I hope your friend likes it, Mr. Zabini.”

Overcome with shock, Blaise felt his face contort into disgust before he could stop it. “Please, just Blaise is fine. Mr. Zabini is just…”

“Weird?” The other asked and Blaise nodded. He was still smiling despite the look on Blaise’s face. “Sorry, I felt since you were a customer, I should treat you as such.”

“Thanks,” he found himself saying and then chuckled at this turn of events. “So you knew who I was the whole time.”

The gardener shrugged but at least had the decency to look embarrassed. “It’s hard not to know the name and face of one of the most popular people on campus,” he explained, and it gave him just a bit more information about the other. He was a college student just like him.

It also made Blaise like the man’s company that much more because despite knowing who he was and his (false) reputation, he was treated like everyone else. “So you know me, but I don’t know your name.”

He realized after he had said it that his words could have been taken as a cheesy pickup line, but the other - as embarrassed as he had been when Luna’s painting had been called beautiful - seemed unphased. It was probably silly, but Blaise had never felt so relieved.

“Neville,” he held out his hand for Blaise to take. “Neville Longbottom.”

Blaise took his hand without hesitating. “It’s nice to meet you, Neville.”

“Likewise,” Neville answered with a gleam in his eyes similar to what Blaise had seen when Neville had been talking about the plant earlier. “I wish your friend luck.”

“Thanks,” Blaise said, as he retracted his hand. “He’ll probably need it.”

Neville shrugged. “You never know.”

Blaise said farewell and left, finding his way back to Draco. At first, Draco had been against giving a succulent over to Potter because, “why would anyone want something so _boring_?” Blaise, who had been slightly offended because he found the plant anything but boring, described what Neville had said to him. Despite Draco being mortified and then pissed about almost being found out, he eventually came to see what Blaise saw in the little plant.

He found himself equal parts relieved and disappointed. Relieved because he no longer had to be dragged around by Draco to find something for Potter, and disappointed because he no longer had anything to remember the moment he had with his gardener. Well, not his gardener. Neville was most certainly not his, but he truly had enjoyed the brief time and conversation.

So as he retired to his single dorm room (he had requested it after his part time modeling career began), he found himself thinking, _a plant would really brighten this place up a bit_.

And now Blaise had an excuse to go back.

**Author's Note:**

> So I've been reading Blaise/Neville fics and I was thinking about a Harry Potter college au and this kinda just happened. There's going to be more to this au and I wasn't going to post this now, but apparently I changed my mind lol and I plan on adding a few different ships as well
> 
> Also, if you couldn't tell, I know nothing about flowers or plants or succulents. And this is basically just based on a small nursery/garden near my hometown.


End file.
